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Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit

7:22 PM

Trust me, I know the world of makeup can seem intimidating. There are just so many freakin' products available that it's hard to choose what to buy.

When I was in high school, I had no sweet clue what I was doing when it came to makeup. If I needed a concealer, I would walk into the drugstore and think "Oh, that one looks like my skin, I'll buy that." This resulted most of the time in products that either made me look orange, broke me out, or just plain did nothing. From time to time I would luck out, but it was a rare occurance.

So now that I feel like I've got a pretty good grasp of the makeup world, I thought I would put together a little list of things that would be good choices for somebody who is in the same shoes that I once was (and still am, sometimes!).

I think if you pick up any of these products, you'll be building a pretty good base of makeup that can last you through a variety of seasons and looks! Without breaking the bank.

Foundation: I'm not a big foundation girl myself, but there are definitely some great ones you can pick up from the drugstore! For an oily skinned girl, I'd go with L'Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation. For the more dry-skinned lady (or gentleman) choose something with some moisture, like the Marcelle BB Cream that tons of people rave about!

Concealer: There are also a ton of great drugstore concealers. The first one I'd recommend is a new release from Maybelline, their Master Conceal by Face Studio. This has a creamy formula that provides pretty great coverage and comes in a wide range of shades. If you're looking for a concealer to help brighten up the face, I'd go with Magic Lumi by L'Oreal - it has light reflecting particles that makes it great for highlighting.

Powder: Hands down, my favourite powder from the drugstore is Rimmel Stay Matte. It sets my makeup to last all day without looking too cakey. The translucent shade is supposed to be great for all skin tones.

Blush: The best bang for your buck? Any blush by Essence Cosmetics. They are smooth, pigmented and cost only $3! I would choose these over many of my high end blushes. Another great option is any blush by NYX, both cream and powder.

Bronzer: I'm not a big bronzer girl myself, but I know a lot of people swear by Sunny Bronzer by NYC. It's hard to find as it's usually sold out everywhere! But I've heard the best place to find it is Walmart.

Eye Shadow: If you're looking for an eye shadow palette but aren't looking to spend an arm and a leg, the Comfort Zone Palette by Wet N' Wild is a great place to start. It's versatile, awesome quality and super cheap.

For a quick and easy option, pick up the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze. This impressive cream shadow is great for everyday and a staple of many in the makeup world!

Looking for a little sparkle? L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadows make great drugstore alternatives to more expensive pigments from brands like MAC. The shade in the photo is 'Amber Rush.'

Eyeliner: Essence Gel Eyeliner in 'Midnight in Paris' is hands down the best eyeliner I have ever found at the drugstore. Even if you have plenty of eyeliners already, this is worth spending the $3 on!

Mascara: I think Maybelline have the drugstore mascara game on lock (yep, I just said 'on lock'...). My current favourite is their Colossal Volume Express, but I'm also a huge fan of the Rocket Volume Express. Soooo, pretty much anything "Volume Express."

Brows: Another Maybelline pick! Their Define-a-Brow Pencil is super thin, making it easy to draw in tiny, natural-looking hairs. Only downfall? The limited colour range.

Lips: Any lipstick from the Kate Moss line by Rimmel is great, and they also have a wonderful lip liner formula - I'm particularly fond of the shade 'East End Snob.'

If you're looking for a good nude lipstick, I've fallen head over heels for 'Barely There' by Essence. Again, another great $3 find. Gotta love Essence.

Tools: Before you can apply any of this stuff above, you've got to start with the right tools! Luckily, some of the best brushes in existence, Real Techniques, are available at the drugstore (Lawton's, if you live in Atlantic Canada) and Walmart. They are unbelievable quality for how affordable they are.

Phew! Thanks for sticking around for that makeup rant. I hope you have a few ideas of things you might want to add to your collection, no matter how small it may be! Remember, it always pays to do a bit of research before hitting the drugstore aisle.

26-year-old Public Relations graduate living in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Sharing my love of beauty and occasionally throwing in my love for music, travel, DIY - and other aspects of surviving the beautiful east coast of Canada.